FDA: Avoid drugs from company tied to meningitis

A sign on the door to the New England Compounding Center requests no soliciting at the Framingham, Mass. company, Wednesday Oct. 3, 2012. An outbreak of a rare and deadly form of meningitis has now sickened 26 people in five states who received steroid injections mostly for back pain, health officials said Wednesday. The Food and Drug Administration identified the maker of the steroid as New England Compounding Center, a specialty pharmacy. (AP Photo/Bob Salsberg)

NEW YORK (AP) — The government is warning doctors and hospitals not to use any product from the specialty pharmacy that made the steroid suspected in a meningitis outbreak.

An official with the Food and Drug Administration said tests found contamination in a sealed vial of the steroid at the New England Compounding Center in Massachusetts. Tests are under way to determine if it is the same fungus blamed in the outbreak.

Federal officials on Thursday also updated the number of cases in the outbreak. Five people have died and 30 people in six states are ill. All received steroid shots for back pain.

The pharmacy issued a recall last week and has shut down operations. The steroid was sent to 75 facilities in 23 states.